Merchandising opinions differ between students
Clothing can reveal several things about a person—what time they got up in the morning, how organized they are and their interests, both inside and outside of school.
“I like ‘The Walking Dead’,” senior Jacob Booth said. “I also watcsh ‘Bates Motel’ and am into too many bands to name. Last Christmas, my mom bought me a ‘Walking Dead’ t-shirt, which I wear every Sunday night when I watch the show.”
Booth said he liked the merchandising of bands and shows.
“I think it’s a good way to show off what you like,” Booth said. “Even if it’s not what I’m into, people can do what they want. If they want to buy it, good for them.”
Senior Josh Bull, wearing a band t-shirt, said he didn’t have a problem with merchandising.
“I just wish it was more direct,” Bull said. “I’d like to pay the money to the band, not a website, and take out the middle man.”
When it came to entertainment that didn’t appeal to him, Bull had a different opinion.
“When a commercial comes on for something I’m not into, it is kind of annoying since it doesn’t appeal to me,” Bull said.
Junior Jonathan Hayes shared his opinion.
“I do think it’s annoying [if I don’t follow that show/band] but I think it’s necessary for them to do it,” Hayes said. “I feel like it gets their name out there more than normal sponsorship.”
Senior Olivia Wiesner has a more hands-on approach.
“Rachel Muirhead made me a John Mayer t-shirt,” Wiesner said. “I also made a Bastille shirt.”
Wiesner said she buys merchandise, but only if some of the profit goes to a cause.
“When I went to go see Young the Giant, 50 percent of their merchandise profits went to LGBT groups,” Wiesner said.
Wiesner said everyone deserved to have their opinion about merchandising.
“If someone wants to wear a t-shirt, they should be able to,” Wiesner said. “Every band wants to get their name out there.”
Junior Jasmine Lawson, who follows “Game of Thrones” and “Doctor Who”, among others, received some merchandise from those shows for her birthday.
“I got a little figurine of a ‘Game of Thrones’ character and some ‘Doctor Who’ mugs and cups,” Lawson said.
Lawson said she thought merchandising was “cool.”
“It gives fans a little outlet to geek out over these things,” Lawson said. “It’s annoying [when it’s not my show] but I don’t mind because I think some people would be annoyed with the things I follow.”
Junior Rachel Orth said she watched “Star-Crossed”, “Supernatural”, and “Reign”, and followed several bands.
“I love the bands Of Mice and Men, Memphis May Fire, Avenged Sevenfold, Avril Lavigne, Pierce the Veil, and Sleeping With Sirens,” Orth said.
Orth listed the merchandise she had purchased.
“I’ve previously bought three Avenged Sevenfold shirts, a Pierce the Veil shirt and a Memphis May Fire shirt,” Orth said. “I’ve bought three Avril Lavigne fragrances and I just bought a bunch of other merch yesterday.”
Orth also said she loved the merchandising of her favorite bands and shows and said that the promotion of other shows didn’t bother her. She did have one complaint, though.
“I wish there was somewhere here that actually sold band merch,” Orth said.
Sophomore Garrett Page said while he didn’t follow any television shows or bands, he thought merchandising was a good way to bring in money.
“You can’t live off concert and airings alone,” Page said. “And it’s a good way to let people who want to obsess over it do so. To each his own, really. ”
